to vpbraide vnto other their calamities miseries Wherof they that presented it being admonished tooke home the arras with them caused the names to be taken out then being brought againe he with heartie thankes receiued it commended the worke This his singular moderation of mynde and conquering of him selfe and insolencie the which very fewe of them that haue vanquished al other men could euer attaine vnto was farre more famous then the taking prisoners of the two mightie Princes then the sacking of the citie that had ben Ladie of the world and at this day also the greatest citie of Christendome then the conquest of the kingdome of Tunes in Afrike then the subduing of the Germanes and the passing ouer beyond Albis the which the proud Romanes when they were in al their greatest roialtie were neuer able to do for this victorie might he iustly vse his word Plus vltra passing not only the bounds of Hercules the Romans but also of cursed enuie the which after all earthly victories remaineth still inuincible and can not be subdued but by this sword of modestie and humilitie The xxx Chapter Of the vnfortunate fall of many great conquerours founders of Empires AND nowe that I haue declared the fearefull fall of those that I knowe not whether more wickedly or foolishly would be accounted Goddes and also of them that proudly vaunted of their victories without humble confession and acknowledging that they receiued them from heauen I prosecuting my purpose will shewe that all those that haue ben famous for victories and the fawning of fortune haue also had often admonitions of their fickle frailtie brittle blisse and tottering state Wherfore passing ouer in silence Cyrus the greate the founder of the Persian Empire who was slaine with his whole armie of two hundreth thousand by a weake woman Tomyris Quéene of the Massagets and the greate Mithridates Eupator king of Pontus who after he had augmented his fathers kingdome with the conquest of two and twentie nations and had won a great part of Gréece and the signorie of the sea from Cilicia to Thracius Chersonesus had kept warres fourtie yeres with the Romanes and vanquished their capteines Cassius Murena Cotta Fabius Triarius Sylla restrained him within his fathers kingdome Lucullus so afflicted him that for despaire he murthered his two wiues and sisters and finally Pompey quite euerted who woulde not graunt vnto him humbly desiring it of his two and twentie kingdomes not so much as the poore one of Pontus and for that also to paye a yerely tribute wherefore after that foure of his sonnes were taken by Pompey and the eldest reuolted vnto him and also one of his daughters taken and the other two poysoned by him selfe he desperately caused a Barbarian to kill him least he should haue come aliue into the hands of the Romanes and to be carried in the triumphe as a laughing stocke and an other Mithridates the great king of the Parthians who augmented the Empire with the accesse of many kingdomes and oftentimes discomfited in battell the valiant Scythes but whē he was in his greatest ruffe being returned out of Armenia the Parthians expelled him out of the kingdome for his crueltie and his owne brother inuaded the emptie siege and taking him prisoner at Babylon caused him vnnaturally to be slaine in his sight and Antiochus the great king of Syria who after great conquestes atchieued in Syria Asia and Greece was ouerthrowne in battell by the Romanes and forced to buye peace with the losse of all his dominions on this side the mountaine Taurus and the payment and the paymente of suche a mightie masse of money that not beeing able to leuie it of his owne possessions he attempted to robbe the riche temple of Iupiter Dyndemenus or as sayes Strabo of Belus where he and all his armie were slaine by a soudeine incursion of the inhabitauntes of the countrie and Pompey the Greate who more augmented the dominions and reuenues of the Romaine Empire then all the capteines before and after him was after the greate ouerthrowe giuen him by Caesar trayterously slaine by the boy kinge Ptolomey and his geldinges and Mathewe the Greate Lorde of Mylan who amonge other his variable chaunces was expelled out of the citie and constreyned twelue yeares to get liuinge by fishinge and beeing restored was at the age of seuentie yeares forced to abandon the citie of Mylan and to resigne his Empire vnto his sonne Galiazo who had vnnaturally not longe before reuolted from him and dying of this anguishe and griefe the bodie of him beeing excommunicated by the Pope was buried in a priuie and vile place his death beeing longe time kepte close leste his carcasse in the aduerse fortune of the warres mighte haue bene subiecte vnto the reproches and vilanies of the Popes cruel Legate and the greate Sforza who besides his ouerthrowes in fight at Viterby at Crixta at Aipua and his beeing taken prisoner in fight at Casaleccio and also twice in captiuitie through treason firste by Pandulpho Alepo the Queene of Naples darlinge and then kepte foure monethes in the newe castell of Naples lookinge euerie day when his breath shoulde be stopped by that effeminate lecher after wardes by Iames Earle of Marchia who had maried the Queene where he escaped as narrowly and his manie other greate daungers was at the laste drowned in the riuer of Lyris or Gariliano by the vnfortunate founderinge of his horse and the greate Gonsalues who only of all the famous warriours of our age the whiche haue yet excelled for noble chiefteines obteined the proude name of the greate this victorious gentleman after that he had cōquered out of the hands of the French men the riche kingdome of Naples for his Prince Ferdinando the kinge of Hispaine was by him ingratefully put from the gouernemente therof and almost also from his life for false suspicion of treason and euer afterwarde kept from all honour and office to leade a lothsome life farre from the courte and fielde at home as it were in an honest banishemente and there for to sée his eldest brothers heire for a light occasion banished the courte for euer and to his greater griefe his owne natiue place his nephues chiefe castle razed downe to the grounde notwithstandinge his most suppliant sute the whiche was also furthered by the earnest prayers of the French kinges honourable Ambassadours for the implacable Prince by all meanes sought to spite him and to empaire his Princely Porte and riches as one whome he suspected to be to greate so that he was aptly compared by a noble man of Hispaine vnto a greate shippe in a shalowe water the which abides in continuall feare to be loste by strikinge and sticking on the flattes and Cresus the mightie kinge of Lydia whose inestimable riches haue euer synce bene a prouerbe throughout the worlde berefte of all by Cyrus and forced to ende his long
and made meate and drinke onely for noble men But it can not be better expressed then with his owne wordes Out of the garden is the commons their shambles with howe muche more innocent and harmelesse diet No I doe beléeue it is better to diue into the bottome of the sea and kindes of oysters to be sought by shipwrackes birdes to be set beyond the riuer of Phasis who one would haue thought should haue béene safe from fetching by reason of the fabulous terrour that we reade in Poets no for that they are the more pretious to goe a fouling for other into Numidia and Aethiopia among the graues or to fight with wilde beastes coueting to be eaten of that which an other man doth eate But oh Lorde howe good cheape are hearbs howe ready for pleasure and satietie if that the same indignation and spite which doth euery where did not also here occurre and come in the waye it were in déede to be borne withall exquisite fruites to growe of whome some for their tast and verdure some for their greatnesse other for their straungenesse shoulde be forbidden poore men and wines to be made to laste vntill great ages and to be gelded with bagges neyther any man to be so olde that he may not drinke wine elder then him selfe and also riot to inuent a certaine foode out of corne onely and the fine floure of it to be taken and it to liue and continue longer then the workes and ingrauings of the bakehouses some to be breade for noblemen some for the commons breade corne discending in so many kyndes euen vnto the basest of the commons What is there a distinction also in hearbes and hath riches made a difference in a meate yea which is to be bought for an halfepenie And some also of them do the tribes say growe not for them the stalke by franking being made so greate that a poore mans table may not receiue and holde him Nature had made sperage wilde that euery man might euery where gather them but beholde nowe there is francked sperage and Ranenna selleth them for poundes a péece Out alas the prodigies of the paunch it would haue béene a maruel not to be lawfull for cattell to eate thistles it is not lawful for the commons Water also is separated and the verye Elementes of nature are seuered by the power of riches These men drinke snowe they ice and do turne the punishmentes and pains of mountains into the pleasure of the throte Coldenesse is kept in heate and a deuice is founde for snowe to be colde in forreigne and contrarie monethes Other water they boile and that also anone after they winter or vse in the winter hauing warme water in winter So nothing doth please man being suche as it pleaseth nature And be there also some hearbes whiche growe onely for rich men let no man looke about for the holy and Auentine hills and the departure of the commons out of the citie for surely death shall make them equall whome wealth hath ouermatched Thus farre Plinie who also in his 14. booke telleth the waywardnes of men to be suche about their wines that they had inuented 195. kindes of them and of special kindes of those generall almoste double the number Neither did the immeasurable charges of their meats satisfie their vnthriftie mindes but that by vomiting they must make themselues readie to eat often as though there had béen no other vse of eating meate but to vomite it vp again not muche vnlike vnto the Rosomacha in Lithuama a beast of the bignesse of a dogge and the face of a catte the backe and taile of a foxe who vseth when he hathe filled his bellie with meate as full as it wil hold to scummer out that whiche he hath eaten with squising his bellie betwéene two trées standing néere together and then incontinently to returne againe vnto the carreine and so to do continually so long as he can gette meate But the roisting Romanes to haue a quarell vnto the cuppe besides salte meates and olde rotten chéese whiche are in vse also nowe a dayes among our tipplers they vsed to drinke colde poisons as hemlocke that deathe might make them powre in strong wine lustely to saue their liues other tooke the poulder of a pomise stone and other like thinges moste abhominable whiche by rehearsing I am ashamed to teache the wariest of those tiplers saies he do we sée to be boyled with baynes and to be carried out of them halfe dead that they may drinke the harder but other can not stay for the bedde no not for their clothes but incontinently naked and hasing take mightie great cuppes as it were to shewe their strength and plentifully powre in the wine that they may immediatly vomite it out and againe swill and vppe with it straightway and so the thirde time as though they were borne to destroy wine as and if wine could not otherwise be shedde but through mennes bodies But the fruites or rather incommodities of rauenous gluttonie doth he set downe in that place That it fall out the best vnto them they neuer sée the rising of the Sunne and they liue the lesse while Hereof comes palenesse hanging eyliddes vlcers of the eyes shaking handes which wil shedde full cuppes whiche is a present paine furiall sleapes disquiet and ill rest in the night the next day stinking breathes caste out of the mouth and obliuion almost of all things and the death of the memorie It is recorded by Plutarch that at a game of drinking made by Alexander 41. dranke them selues dead An. 1540. was a very good yeare for wines in the which there were found to die in the duchie of Wittenberg at feasts from Autumne vnto the first sunday of Lent 400. persons so that we néede no auncient examples Many dishes saies sage Seneca bring many diseases and innumerable diseases do rewarde innumerable cookes which is agréeable vnto that golden sentence of Plinie great diuersitie of dishes is very pestilent but of sauces and dressings of them more pestilent Aske mée sayes Seneca in his controuersies why we die so soone because we liue by deathes But admit that a man did not with excessiue quantitie of meate put the vaines in daunger of breaking nor set on fire the spirites with hote wines whiche the Phycisians will neuer graunt yet who woulde not thinke it more intollerable then death by gourmandise to be so ouerloden with flesh and fatte that he can not moue as Nicomachus of Smyrna or not goe as was Ptolomei Euagetes king of Egypt who in many yeares before he went foorthe to receiue that Péerelesse Paragon of the worlde Scipio Africanus the yonger walked not on foote or Alexander king of that Realme who could not walke for grosenesse but staied vp with two men or be like vnto Dionysius the tyrant of Heraclea whose fatnesse would not suffer him to fetch his breath and did put him in continual
the table presented vnto Leonell There were at one course thréescore and tenne goodly great horses couered with saddles of veluet and siluer but at an other siluer plate hierfalcons houndes greyhounds armour for horses sumptuous shirts of maile glittering complete harnesse of strong stéele head péeces adorned with mightie highe and rich crestes garmentes wrought with pearles harnesse girdles last of all rare precious stones set in iewels and a mightie masse of clothe of golde and purple But suche was the furniture of the feast that the meate whiche was taken from the table woulde aboundantly suffice tenne thousand men Of suche a sumptuous supper also dooe Sabelicus and Egnatius mention made of late yeares by a gentleman Venetian vnto an hundrethe gentlemen of the same citie whiche supper continued vntil day or after Egnatius seuen houres and for the varietie of dainties number of courses and of dishes in euery course and the diuersitie of melodie before euery course deserued to be numbred among the most riotous feastes of the Sybarites ye of the Romane Emperours Of a very riotous banquet read we also in the secretes of nature made by a Cardinal in Prouince whiche puttes me in minde of the carnall Cardinall spoken off by Iouius in his booke of fishes who vsed to glorie that he had buried in his bellie 20000. ducats whiche might more honourably haue béene bestowed vppon so many poore folkes But my before mentioned Frier Peter passed him for he within two yeres spent saies Volaterane in riotous banquets and trifles .300000 ducats But to returne againe vnto Heliogabalus he was not contented so sumptuously to feast himself his friends but that he would commaund great store of the renowned grapes of Apamea in Syria to be wastfully thrown into the maungers vnto his horses and would féede his dogges with the farsed liuers of géefe a dishe of greate price among the riotous Romanes and Lyons and Libardes with Phesaunts and Parrates the tounges of whome and of all other swéete singing byrdes would he gréedily eate not I thinke to knowe whither that they woulde delite the palate as muche as they did the eare but because of their greate price whiche he loued of all meates to be tolde him to be farre greater then it was in very déede that it might make him as he vsed to say to haue the more eager appetite vnto it But in this kinde of riot the dishe of Aesopus the tragedie player is moste famous or rather infamous whiche was valued at 600. sestertia 4500.l wherein he had put birdes of great price either for singing or else for imitation of mannes spéeche being induced therevnto by no other swéetenesse but that he might in them eate the imitation of man no not once reuerencing those rich and great gaines of his and gotten by the voice Now me thinkes in this place is it woorthie of the noting that Plinie writeth that the inhabitaunts of Delos first began to cramme hens I find it forbidden at Rome by the law of C. Fannius 40. yeares before the third Punical warres to haue any foule set on the table except one henne she should not be franked which clause being taken from thence walked throughout all the lawes of charges of feasts which were made afterwarde in Rome but there was a starting hole found oute to franke capons whiche the lawe spake not off and to put milke vnto their meate and so are they liked as farre the more pleasant to the palate The first that ordeined coupes to shutte vp all kindes of birdes was M. Lelius Sirabo one of the order of the Equites at Brundusium from him we began to restraine in prison those liuing thinges to whome nature had assigned the aire But this cramming of birdes is no newes vnto vs but to haue mightie stewes or armes of the sea inclosed to kéepe sea fishe in is rare Sergius Crata first inuented in the créeke Baiae stewes for oysters in the age of L. Crassus the Oratour before the social wars not for his throte but for couetousnes reaping great reuenues by this inuention in the same age Licinius Murena inuented stewes for other fishes whose example the nobilitie folowed Philip Hortensius Lucullus also cutting out a hill with greater charges then he had built his goodly house did let in the sea and made a ponde the fishes wherof were solde after his deathe for quadringenta that is 3000.l The firste that inuented a stew onely for Murenes was C. Hirius who at the triumphal suppers of Caesar the dictator lent him by weight sixe thousand Murenes for he woulde take for them neither money nor yet any other rewarde This mannes manour house being a verie pelting litle thing did his fish pondes sell for quadragies 30000. poundes Fuluius Hirpinus made stewes of cockles a litle before the ciuil watres betwéene Pompey and Caesar seuering also the kindes of them that the white whiche be bredde in the territorie of Reate might be by themselues the Illyrian who be the greatest by themselues and so the African who are most fruiteful and the Solitane who are moste noble Hee also inuented a fatting of them with Sapa and Far and other thinges that also franked cockles might glutte the gourmandise of the delicate But yet there is some affinitie betweene Fishe and Fleshe and the palate for they haue some taste but pearles and precious stones haue neither good nor ill smacke and therefore no aliaunce with the gullet nor coulde bring any pleasure vnto it vnlesse that their greate price did make them swéete which reason would should sower them There were saies Plinie two pearles which did excell all other which haue béen since the beginning of the worlde both of them did Cleopatra the last quéene of Egypt possesse being deliuered vnto her by the handes of the kings of the East When that Antonius her swéete hart was euery day franked with exquisite banquettes she with proude and malapert statelines and scornefulnesse like vnto a harlot Quéene debased and dispraised his dainties and the prouision and furniture of his table But when he demaunded of her what greater magnificence could possibly be made she answeared that she woulde absume at one supper centies sestertium 75000. l. Antonius was desirous to learne but he did not thinke that it could by any meanes be done So then after that they had laide a wager thereof the next day when the matter should be tried she did set before Antonius least the day should be lost a supper otherwise magnificent but of their ordinarie proportion then Antonius beganne to scoffe and called for a reckoning of the supper she saide that the dishes whiche he had was but a surplusage and that she her selfe alone woulde spend at that supper the valewe and suppe at 75000. l. commaunding the waiters to bring in the seconde table for with their fruite they alwayes in the olde time chaunged their table By her
made of Cedar and Cyparissus of Miletus the gates or doores whiche were round aboute that roome being in number twentie were of till trée boordes garnished with Iuorie the nailes and hammers of them were of redde copper and by cunning woorkemanshippe made to glister as faire as if they had béene guilt the bodies of the pillers were of Cyparissus but theÌ„ heads were wrought by Corinthian art and garnished with golde and Iuorie but all the Epistilium or archegraue was all of golde vpon the which was there a beautifull border hauing carued beastes of Iuorie in it aboue a cubite long wrought in déede with meane arte but with maruelous cost There was also a verie faire baÌ„quetting house foure square built of Ciparissus the ornamentes whereof were carued and guilted to this adioyned a chamber with seuen beddes or tables close whereunto stoode the nurserie where was a place able to holde seuen tables whiche for magnificence was not vnlike vnto the great chamber and an other chamber of fiâ—e tables And thus were the places of the first storie garnished But they whiche went vppe the staires whiche were néere vnto the chamber which we last spake of came vnto a chamber wherein were fiue supping beddes and by it a faire vaulted temple of Venus in the whiche was her image of Iuorie Ouer right against this was there a sumptuous â—ound banqueting place whose pillers were of Indian stâ—â—â—es whom folowed other chambers hauing the like furniture and garnishing that they had of whom I spake of before And going foorth towards the stem was there a round house dedicated to Bacchus conteining fiftéene tables whiche was guilt But the Goddesse her house was finely proportioned at the right side wherof there was a caue hauing the colour of stone for it was gorgeously builte of very stone indéede and golde and there were in it the images of them which were of affinitie vnto the kings â—orse like Lychnaean stone There were a great many of other suche dining chambers as costly garnished as well in the middes of the shippe as in all other partes of it whiche I do willingly omitte hasting vnto Hiero the King of Syracusae his shippe made by Archimedes the famous Geometrician of so greate burden that she carried vnto Alexandria 60000. medimnes a medimne is two bushels and a pecke of corne 10000. barels of salt fishes 20000. talents of flesh and 20000. of other burdens besides the prouision of the men and mariners There went a wall with bulwarkes round about the ship a trenche of yron and eight towers two at the stemme and two at the puppe and foure in the middle There was a sling in the shippe which would cast a stone that weighed two hundreth and arrowes of twelue cubites whom she would shoote a furlong There were in the middes of the shippe thrée faire dining chambers hauing in them thirtie dining beddes Al they had their pauimentes of stones of diuerse kindes and colours in whome with wonderfull workmanship were al things conteined that are written of the siege of Troy all whiche thinges are set foorth in the furniture the séeling ouer head and the doores There was also a place of exercise and walking places in whome were diuerse sortes of gardens filled full of plantes hearbes and floures set in vessels of earth and leade There were also benches growing full of white iuie and vines whiche tooke their nutriment in tubbes filled full of earth and had the same watering that gardens haue these trées did shadowe the walking places After all these was Venus her parlour whose pauimente was of Achates and other precious stones whiche were found in the I le The walles and séeling ouer head was of Cyparisse the doores of iuorie Thyia which were very brauely garnished with pictures images great magnificence of cups There folowed this rome a parlour with fiue tables dedicated vnto a schoole which had the doores and walles of Boxe and within it a librarie There was also a bayne whiche had three vessels of copper apt for the fire and a tine or cauldron of diuerse colours of Tauroncinian stone whiche woulde holde fiue metretes that is 56. gallons a quart there were also tenne stables for horses and at the stemme a place inclosed with pitched bourdes and canuasse wherein water was kept to the quantitie of 2600. metretes that is 27500. gallons where was also a fishe pond made of leade and boordes full of salt water in the which was kept great store of fishes with a great number of suche like sumptuous buildinges But omitting the shippe of Cedar 280. cubites long guilt without and siluered within built by Sesostris king of Egypt whiche he offered vppe vnto the God whiche is worshipped at Thebae I read also in Suetonius that Caligula did builde him long shipps of Cedar with the puppes set with precious stones with sailes of diuers colours with mighty great baines galeries and parlours and great varietie also of vines and trées that beare fruite sitting in whoÌ„ with great melodie singing and reuelling he would rowe along the coast of Campania And Tacitus writeth that Nero had his banquetting shippes garnished with iuorie and golde This colt Caius in building of palaces and manor houses in the countrie contemning and refusing all reason coueted and went about to do nothing so earnestly as that whiche men tolde him could not be done Wherfore he did cast vp péeres in the raging and déepe sea he cut out rockes of harde flint he would with earth make lowe vales equall vnto mounteins digge down the tops of mounteines leuel with the fieldes that with incredible spéede all tariaunce bringing present deathe By these suche other riotous déeds he spent all the huge sum of money of vicies septies millies sestertium which is 20250000.l left him by Tyberius before one yeare was gone about Which vnmeasurable prodigalitie Nero did not so much commend in wordes as gladly imitate in déedes For he began a pond from the foreland of Misenus to the lake of Auerne couered ouer and inclosed round about with faire galeries or walkes that all the bathes of hote water which are at Baiae might be brought together into one ponde He also began a ditche from Auerne euen to Hoscia that they might goe betwéene them by ship yet not on the sea surely a goodly thing this dich should haue ben 160. miles long and so broad that quinqueremes or galies with fiue orders of ores méeting might passe one by the other Vpon these works he spent al his treasure so that he had not wherw t to pay his souldiers their wages and so was forced to leaue the vaine worke vnfinished But to speake again of Caligula He made a bridge of 3. myles a half long vpon the gulfe of Baiae reaching froÌ„ Baiae to Pâ—teols gathering together for that purpose from al parts shippes for burthen whom lying at anchor in two rowes he filled
in the ground The Caspians starued him that liued past 70. yeares and casting him away into a desart would stand a farre off and watch his euent If he were pulled and torne out of the head by byrdes they iudged him happie if by wild beastes and dogges not so fortunate but if by neither then altogether vnhappie If dogges deuoure my dead carkase said Diogenes I shal haue the burial of the Hyrcanians if vulturs of the Iberians Onesicritus writes that the Bactrians did vse to cast aliue suche persons as were quite worne with age or sicknesse vnto dogges whiche they kept for that purpose and calling them sepulchrall dogges But it is not true saies Strabo who writes that the Massagetâ— thought it to be the best kinde of deathe that men wâ—â—ue with age should be chopped into péeces and eaten mingled with mutton But those that died of sicknesse did they cast away as wicked folkes and worthie to be deuoured by wilde beasts The manner of the Thracians in burying of their noble men was thus To bring foorth the corse to kill all kindes of sacrifices to feast thrée dayes and then the corse being first bewept and after burnt they buried or otherwise couered it with earth making a mightie highe heape and setting foorth all kindes of games and specially combats But the Transi among other buried their dead in the ground with all ioy and mirthe rehearsing from howe many calamities and euils he was deliuered When any of the kings of Scythia died the people digged a great hole foure square whiche when they haue prepared they tooke the dead king his bodie being wrapped in waxe his paunch taken out and cleansed the which when they haue filled with beaten siluer swéete hearbs persely seede and aniséede they sowed it vp againe laying the corse in a waine they caried him vnto an other countrie who did the same that the other Scythians had done where he had béen resident they did cut round his eares they rouÌ„ded his hairs they circumcised his armes they wouÌ„ded his nose and forehead they thrust his left hand through with arrowes Afterward they carried the kings corse in a wain to another nation that he had reigned ouer who did accompanie theÌ„ vnto the countrie from whence they first came Now when they carying the dead king about had traueled all the countries ouer whoÌ„ he had reigned they laid him with them the dwelt in the farthest part of the Gerrhi in the solemne sepulchres of the kings and wheÌ„ they had séen him laid vpoÌ„ a bed in a tumb spears being sticked here there they also did set vp posts rouÌ„d about vpon whom they hanged a cloke that couered the tumb But in the wide tumb with the king thei buried one of his concubines being straÌ„gled his cupbearer his cooke his horskéeper the man that vsed to go on his messages also horses the first fruites of al other things ye also cups of gold WheÌ„ they had so done they anie hurled earth vpon him coueting to make a very great and high mount After a yeare was passed the like did they againe They tooke the chiefest of the Kinges seruauntes and the seruauntes of the kinges of Scythia were all fréemen for no bondman serued theÌ„ of whom when they had strangled 50. and so many excellent horses and taken out their intrailes and cleansed them they filled them full of chaffe and sowed them vp And when they had set on halfe of an embowed edifice turned topsie turuie vppon two beames and the other halfe vpon two other set vppe many made after this fashion then they did set vp on these edifices the horses strong péeces of tymber béeing thrust through them along their backes comming out at their neckes who so stood that the formost vaults or embowed edifices did hold vppe the fore legges of the horses and the hinder did beare vppe their bellies close to their thighes both the legs hanged down aloft they bridled the horses and tyed their reignes vnto the postes Then vpon euery one of the horses did they sette one of the young men a long péece of wood which was fastened at the lower ende vnto the poste that went through the horse being thrust through them whiche came out at their necke These horsemen being set vp round aboute the sepulchre who séeme like vnto a troupe of horsemen set to guarde the King they departed After this manner they buried their kinges But other Scythians when they were departed did all their neighbours laying theÌ„ in waynes carrie about vnto their kinsfolkes Euery one of their fréendes receiuing them did make a feast vnto all that accompanied the corse aswel kinsfolkes as other After this maner were priuate men caried about fourtie days and then buried in the ground but being first cleansed after this manner when they had taken al the braine out of his head and washed it this they did with the bodie They did set vp thrée postes one shoring aboue towards another about these posts did they hang wollen caps and into a trey set in the mids of the posts and cappes did they throw fire stones vpon whom they did cast séedes of a kinde of flaxe that they haue whereof they made a perfume causing such a vapour as no censars do among the Gréekes With this odour the Scythians being brought into an astonishment vsed to crie out right and howle But of the Scythians saies Mela the Essedones did celebrate the funerals of their parents merrily with sacrifices and festiuall assemblies of their fréendes eating the dead bodies chopped together with mutton but the heades after they had finely polished theÌ„ did they make mayzers of trimming them about with golde and these were their last dueties of pietie He also telleth that in Thracia when a husbande died his wiues who are alwayes many did earnestly contend whom her husband best loued in his life time and was the most worthiest woman that she might be slaine vpon her husbandes bodie and burnt with him which she to whom it was adiudged did ioyfully fulfill the rest mourning and with lamentable voyces bitter beating did bring foorth the corse vnto buriall and by this onely way could they be comforted if that certaine men did bring weapons and money or cattel vnto the roge or funeral fire and say that they were readie either to compound with the fate of him that lay there or els to fight with it but when there was place neither for money nor for fight then they remained suiters vnto the women The Massilians buried their dead without any lamentatioÌ„ or beating of themselues finishing the funerals with a domesticall sacrifice and a feast made vnto their kinsfolkes The Tauri in Scythia did vse to burie with their kinges suche of their fréendes as they best loued in their life time The Galles burned and did put in the ground their dead
do contemne their deadly daunger and seeme to haue an insensibilitie of their sinnes and perill finally are ashamed of nothing so muche as to shewe ye any light signe of sorrowe for their horrible déepe sinke of sinne yet can not these lustie bloudes escape the inwarde percinge pricke of a guiltie conscience which tormenteth them a thousande folde more terriblye then if it were the deadly stinge of a viper and worketh them more woe and vnrest then doth the madde flie the coursed cattell in the rageing dogge dayes These iolly gentlemen tremble â— shake at euerie flash of lighteninge and be halfe deade at a clappe of thunder as though they came not of anie naturall cause but were sente downe from heauen by angred God purposely to reuenge their outrages Not in the day time not in the night will their vexed mindes graunte vnto their bodies anie reste WheÌ„ they go vnto their meales no one morsell of meate will go downe their throates fearing as men that had their iawes dried vp with a longe wastinge sicknesse yea they cast vp their drinke like vnto younge children makinge a sowre face at sweete Hippocras as though it were sharpe vineagre so vnsauourie doth remorse of their sinnes make al things vnto them But when the time of the night doth adhorte them to goe vnto their restlesse bedde they dare not lye alone for feare that a thousande diuelles woulde carrie them away bodie and soule vnto hell Nowe after they be tyred with tossinge and turning if they chaunce to happen on a slumber for sounde sleape will not the tormenting torche that burneth without intermission in their troubled brestes in anie case graunt them with what dreadfull dreames méete they howe starte they howe hydeously crie they out If theÌ„ religioÌ„ ingendereth suche griefes what tormentes may we think superstitioÌ„ bringeth for I can not tel how saith Seneca vaine thinges do trouble and vexe vs farre more theÌ„ true for the true haue their certeine measure and quantitie but whatsoeuer commeth of an incertâ—ntie is deliuered and giuen ouer vnto the coniecture and licence of a fearefull minde and what that will make of them may the straunge imaginations of the melancholyke manifestly declare some steadfastly beleauinge that they haue eaten venimous serpentes soÌ„e that they haue lost their heads soÌ„e that they haue drouÌ„ke poysoÌ„ soÌ„e that they beare vp al the whole world faynte faile vnder so heauie a burden other that they sée Atlas whoÌ„e the Poetes fayne to staye vp heauen with his shoulders to shrinke and giue ouer and presently readie to lett fall the weightie engine of the heauens on their heades some that they be earthen vessells and merueilously feare breaking other crie out if they do but see one come into the chamber for feare he will treade on his nose some that they haue deadly botches where as in verie déede there are no such thinges with 1000 such like vaine feares al of whome it were as madd a parte for me to rehearse as it was is for theÌ„ to imagine The eighteenth Chapter The hoofullnesse of Lewes the eleuenth Charles the seuenth French kings of Dionysius Commodus and Aristippus for the prolonging of their liues ANd no lesse madnesse considering the manifolde miseries the often calamities the greate mischiefes and annoyances whiche happen vnto man in his life is mans immesurable desiring of liuing which Plinie assigneth for a proper incoÌ„moditie of mankinde Lewes the French kinge the eleuenth of that name when he had liued thrée score yeares perceiuinge that he was fallen into a sicknesse which was likely to shorten his time and also being feared with the sixtieth yeare of his age because that none of the Capetts had passed that bound which yet could not coÌ„tent him what wayes wrought he to prolong his lothsome life to what solemne shrine offered he not greate rich oblations to what famous house of religion throughout all Fraunce gaue not hee fayre lands for a great parte of it wrongefully wrouÌ„g from pore men which donations because they were so great were reuoked after his death to what holy man of name in al Christendome sent not he the golden gifts instantly desiring them in their daylie praiers to God to haue a speciall memento for the large increase of his yeares But amonge all other he fet out of Calabria one Robert an Heremite a man of all them of his time moste renowned for holynesse of life at whose feete at the firste méetinge he fell downe desiring him with manie a bitter teare to prolonge his life foolishly hopinge as the Heremite truely tolde him to obteine that of a man whiche God only was able to giue But yet fearinge that he was not surely enoughe defenced againste terrible death by spirituall helpe studiously also soughte for naturall by phisicke and founde one Cocterius who with large promises of longe life fedde his folishe humoure as the kinge againe glutted the physicians vnsatiable desire of golde with giuinge him ten thousande crownes a moneth yea in fiue monethes foure and fiftie thousande besides manie greate promotions promised if he did recouer his health Yet could not this rare liberalitie of the kinge make the physician courteous vnto him but hee woulde continually handle him verie roughly churlishely and with despitefull wordes vpbrayed vnto him his wrongfull and cruell demeanour towardes diuers of the nobilitie and the counsell and vsed often to tell him that he woulde also handle him so one day Although this vncourteous and proude dealinge greatly greeued the kinge and made him often to complaine of it vnto his familiars yet durste he in no wise put him away because that he had constantly affirmed that the kinge shoulde not liue sixe dayes after that he were gone Which direfull denunciation the kinge abhorred as gate of hell as the man that in al his whole life coulde not abide to haue it once tolde him that he must one day die and would often in his health will his friendes that when they should sée him daungerously sicke they shoulde in no case put him in minde of death where as in verie déede he shoulde haue meditated nothinge so much all his life longe which should haue bene a continual preparing of him self vnto death where vnto he should most assuredly come at the laste and howe soone vncerteine neither yet during his longe sicknesse stoode hee in greater dreade of death by inwarde diseases then he feared shortening of life by forreigne foes Wherefore he imprisoned manie noble men of great power diuerse faithful counsellours vpon vaine imagination conceiued in his fearefull minde of their infidelitie He woulde suffer verie fewe of the nobilitie to come neare vnto the place where he lodged much lesse come within the castell gate which was guarded daye and night with foure hundreth souldiours of whom the one halfe were Scottes whome he trusted better then his owne subiectes commaunding them to shoote at all men whiche did
his horse and letted not for all his hurt to giue order for suche things as he thought expedient But at the length when by hanging downe of his legge the bloud drewe vnto the wound it waxed colde whereby his wound began to paine him then coulde he say that he was called the Sonne of Iupiter but yet he felt in himself the passions of a diseased bodie But no peril that euer he suffered was comparable to that whiche he ranne into through his owne desperatenesse at the siege of the citie of the Oxidracans as hathe Curtius of the Mellumans sayes Plutarche or as it is in Iustine the Sicambrians For like a madde man he leaped downe from the walles post alone into the towne it being a thousand to one that he should haue either béene slaine or taken aliue er he coulde haue recouered his legges the walles were so highe but it happely chaunced that he fel vpon his féete and an olde tree adioyning to the wall wel defended him from being inclosed and the boughes serued him for a target to keep off the darts and arrowes of many thousands that fast flocked thither to ende the cruell warres of the whole worlde by one mschiefous mans deathe and to reuenge so many flourishing nations whiche he had spoiled and so many frée peoples as he had wrongfully brought into bondage And at the length one threw a dart of two cubites long which a litle aboue his right thighe passed through his corselete by reason of the whiche wounde he did shead so muche bloud that he was not able to holde his sworde but let it fall out of his hande as one at the point of death so that the Indian that had strucken him came to spoyle him whose hand when Alexander felt vpon him disdaine of infamie reuoked his spirites then passing out of his bodie and with his sworde thrust thorough his vnarmed enimie But yet so feeble was his strength that when he endeuoured to lift himselfe vppe with the helpe of a bought of the trée he straightway fel owne againe vpon his knees During whiche time Peucestes Timaeus Leonatus and Aristonius were come vnto him of whome Timaeus was slaine and the rest so sore wounded that they were able to doe nothing and they had vndoubtedly died there with their Prince if that the whole armie being made almoste madde with the rumour that the king was slaine had not at that verie instant violently broke into the citie and deliuered him out of assured peril of death Neither was the curing of his wounde lesse daungerous and gréeuous then the wounde it selfe because that the hookes or barbes of the darte fastened in the fleshe coulde not be plucked out but by cutting of the wound wider whereof insued suche aboundance of bloud that he fell into a swoone and stretched out himselfe as one at the the panges of death in so muche that all his fréendes had verily thought that he had béen dead so long was it er his bloud could be staunched Thus ye sée howe many and oftentimes this madde man whiche would be accounted a GOD was made painefully to féele within fewe yeares the griefes of mannes fleshe the whiche was also lastly incrediblie increased by the deathe of his darling Ephestion whome he loued as intirely and mourned for as immoderately as euer man did for his fréende But when GOD sawe that no admonishmentes woulde serue to kéepe him in his duetie and that the Empire of the whole earthe woulde not satisfie his insatiable ambition whiche by falling was alwayes made more hungrie but that he woulde also néedes inuade heauen he did cutte his dayes shorter then the commune fate of man is not suffering him to passe the age of thirtie thrée yeares and one moneth and made a small cophin to shewe howe small a thing in déede hee was who hauing all the Orient chafed that hée was thruste vppe into a narrowe corner and squised together If he had followed the counsayle that the Lacedemonian king gaue vnto his Father Philippe after the fortunate battell of Choronea and had measured his shadowe after the ouerthrowe of Darius he should haue found it neither greater nor longer then it was before and sometimes he himselfe could finde it For whē Nicesias a flatterer the pernicious pestilence of Princes sawe Alexander maruelously troubled with a medicine which he had taken and saide what paines must we poore wretched men abide séeing that ye Gods suffer suche torments Alexander sternly looking on him said And what kind of Gods are we no I feare we be hated of the Gods. And at an other time when Anaxander a fortunate Philosopher as Atheneus termes him one of the crowes that haunted that carrion traueling with Alexander in a great and terrible thunder which appauled the hartes yea of the stoutest saide haue you done the like O mightie prince Alexander laught and said I wil not be so terrible and dreadful as thou doest teache me to be who wouldest haue me to be serued at the table with the heades of kings and princes cruelly cutte off It is also reported by Plutarch that he had béen oftentimes heard to say that wheras many men called him a God yet did he finde that hee was a man by two thinges that is to wit the act of Venerie and sléepe for that these two thinges did most bewray the imbecillitie of his nature but against all other thinges he was inuincible Nowe sléepe is an Image of death and the act of venerie as it were a kinde of conuulsion But this man who knewe him selfe so well and besides his often daungers of deathe and many painefull woundes did acknowledge that he had euer in him two things which manifestly declared vnto him that he was a man and yet woulde be adored for a GOD yea and when hée sawe him selfe quighte paste all hope of life instantly desired his wyfe Satyra priuily to conueye him away and to caste him into the riuer of Euphrates that he might séeme vnto the worlde to haue bene assumpted body and soule into heauen did not he iustly deserue to be depriued of those things which the most vilest varlets doe enioy did not his wofull mother Olympias when that she heard that his body lay vnburied many dayes the capteines of the Macedons being busied about the succession in his Empire crye out with aboundant teares déepe sighes and loud lamentatiōs O sonne thou that endeuouredst to be partaker of heauen hasting thether with might and maine nowe alas art not able to obteine and get so muche as those thinges whiche are common vnto all mortall men the earth and buriall A worthy mirrour to be set alwayes before the eyes of great Princes for them to sée in that if they do couet greater and more honour then is due vnto man they shall not haue that whiche hath bene often done vnto horses and dogges The two and twentie Chapter Of the infelicitie and dolefull ende of Demetrius yea his whole life and actes
the Germanes language and to be called by Barbarian names He also commaunded that the galleyes in whom he had entered the Ocean sea should for a great part of them be carryed to Rome by lande but especially all the shelles for lacke of kinges capteines plate money counterfeites of townes wonne to be shewed in his triumph the which he wrote vnto orgents they shoulde prepare with a greate magnificence as euer any had bene bycause he sayde they had right and power ouer all mens goods But althoughe as you heare he slue not one of his enimies as he that only fought with his owne fancies yet he administered not the Prouince without great effusion of bloud for as sayes Dion he lost a great parte of his owne armie through murthering many of them man by man and other by whole troupes and rankes And one daye séeing a great number of men standing together he commaunded them to be all slaine vsing this by worde from bald man to bald man. And before he departed out of the Prouince he thought to haue slaine all the legions of the countrie bycause that they mutining after the death of Augustus had besieged his father Germanicus their capteine and him selfe then being an infant And being hardly reuoked frō so great a frensie he could by no meanes be stayed but that he would néeds tythe them slaying euery tenth man Wherfore he calling them vnarmed to a concion or oration enuironed them about with weaponed men and armed horsemen But when that he sawe that many of the souldiours suspecting the matter did slide away to take their weapons if that any violence should be offered this dastardly God ranne away out of the concion and incontinently hasted to the citie turning al his malice on the Senate whom he openly threatened that he woulde punish for the rumours of so great dishonours spreade of him complaining also among other thinges that he was defrauded by them of his iust and due triumphe when as in déede he him selfe had a litle before inioyned them vnder paine of death that they should decrée nothing concerning his honour Lo nowe ye haue hearde the summe of his noble martiall actes and certes nothing else was there in him whereof hée should be proude but only his large Empire and the felicitie to haue the worthie Germanicus his Father vnto whome sayes Suetonius there happened all the vertues bothe of bodie and minde and they also so great as it is manifest neuer chaunced vnto any other man A goodly personage and a beautiful great strength and courage a witte farre excelling in the eloquence of both the Gréeke and the Latine and in all kinde of learning in bothe the tounges singularly wel was he beloued one that had a wonderful and very effectuall indeuour and way to get the fauour of al men and to winne their loue bothe at home and also abroade very ciuil and so courteous that he would go vnto the frée townes and suche as were in league with the Romanes without his sergeantes and wheresoeuer he vnderstoode that famous men were intumbed he woulde kéepe their obsequies The olde and dispersed reliques of the Romans that were slaine in Germanie with Varus he first began to gather vppe with his owne hands and to bring into one heape and to burie them togeather And also so milde and harmelesse was he vnto his obtrectours backebiters and enuiers whatsoeuer they were and wherfore soeuer they did it that he would not be angrie no not with Piso who had disanulled all his decrées and ordinaunces and a long time vexed his clientes before that he certainely knewe and had found that he went about to worke his death by poisonings and solemne cursings neither then went he any farther thē according to the auncient manner of their forefathers renounced his friendshippe that is solemnly tolde him that he woulde not take him for his fréende and willed them of his house to be reuenged if that any ill happened vnto him He was also chaste of bodie that it is recorded of him as a miracle in that lewde age that he neuer knew woman besides his wife Of the which vertues he reaped moste aboundant fruite for he was singularly liked and loued of al men and so fauoured of the people in all countries that whensoeuer he came vnto any greate towne or departed from thence suche a number of people did either goe foorthe to méete him or to bring him going that he was very oftentimes in daunger of death with the greate thronge of the louing people But when he returned out of Germanie vnto Rome after he had quieted the sedition the whiche I spake off euen nowe all the Pretorian bandes wente foorth to méete him althoughe that proclamation had béene made that there should but two goe but of the people of Rome all sexe age and order ranne foorthe against him yea twenite miles Yet greater and surer signes of vnutterable loue towardes him did appeare at and after his death The day that he died the Temples were battered with stones the altars of the Gods were ouerthrowen and some threwe their housholde Gods into the stréete and did cast away the children that their wiues had lately brought forth yea and they write that the Barbarians that had either warres betwéene themselues or with the Romanes did as in a Domesticall and common heauinesse consent vnto truce and certaine kings did shaue their beardes and their wiues heades for to shewe as great a mourning as might be And also the Parthian who called him selfe the king of kinges absteined from hunting kéeping of companie the which the Parthians call Megistanum being like vnto the Iustitium among the Romanes But when at the firste bruite that was brought to Rome of his sickenesse the dismaide and sorrowful citie looked for the messengers that followed and soudenly after the euening was shut it had béene noised without any certaine authors that hee was recouered the people ranne hudling from all partes of the citie vppe into the Capitol with lightes and sacrifices and they had almost pulled off the doores of the temple that they should not any while stay the reioycing people from perfourming of their vowes Tyberius the Emperour was waked out of his sléepe with the voices of them that reioyced and sang in euery place Salua Roma Salua Patria saluus est Germanicus Rome is well our Countrie is well Germanicus is well But afterward when it was certeinly knowen he was deade the publique mourning coulde not be inhibited by any comfortes nor proclamations but lasted yea also all the festiuall dayes of December being the same among them that the twelue dayes be with vs After that this dearling of mankinde was traiterously poysoned by Piso who at his returne vnto Rome was therfore néere hand torne into péeces by the people put to death by the Senate but at the instigation of his vnkinde vncle Tyberius whome Augustus had made to adopte Germanicus ill requiting his loyaltie
towardes him who so obstinately refused the Empire that when the Legions in Germanie would néedes force him to take it he would haue killed him selfe if they had not desisted from their rebellious purpose this yong colte his sonne was brought vp with his mother who being banished and his two brothers put to death remained with his great graundmother Liuia widdowe of Augustus after whose death he went vnto his grandmother Antonia with whom he remained vntil he was ninetéene yeares of age at what time he was sent for by Tyberius to come vnto him into his slaughter house at Capreas where he remained without any honour There was he assaulted and vndermined tenne thousand ways groped prouoked ye and in a manner forced to complaine of the wronges done vnto his Father and his fréendes but neuer could there be any holde taken of him as though he had quite forgotten the fal of his fréendes as though no ill had happened vnto any of them but all those villanies of whom he suffered innumerable he passed ouer with incredible dissimulation and was so seruiceable vnto Tyberius and those that were néere aboute him that it was not without iust cause cōmonly spokē that neuer was there a better seruant nor a worse maister In this slauerie continued he all the reigne of Tyberius whom he succéeded wherby it is greatly to be marueyled howe he that had béene so long time one of the most wretched men of the worlde could for so shorte a fickle felicitie thinke him self soudenly translated into a god But that he was alwayes guiltie in conscience of his owne infirmities his straunge spitefull enuie towards all men that excelled in honour good fortune and finally in any thing did manifestly declare For firste he brake downe all the statuies of famous men that were set vppe in the Court of the Capitol by Augustus he thought also to haue destroyed quite all Homers works and there lacked litle but that he had taken out of all libraries all the Images and workes of Liuie and Virgil and also he often boasted that he would burne al the bookes of the Lawe Moreouer he tooke from all the Noble men the auncient ensignes of their houses from Torquatus his cheine from Cincinnatus his haire from Pompey the surname of the great Yea Ptolomey king of Mauritania his cosin whom he had sent for receiued and interteined very honourably because that at a publique spectacle he had through the glistring of his purple robe caused the people to gaze vppon him he soudenly strucke him on the face with his fist As often as he mette with any beautiful personage or that had a goodly bushe of haire he would incontinently deforme him with the shauing off the hinder parte of his head There was one Esius Proculus whose Father had béene Primipile this Proculus for his tall and bigge stature and beautiful and good making thereof was called Collosers this mans goodly personage did so spite the Emperour that soudenly as Proculus was beholding of the playes he commaunded him to fight first with a Thracian and then with an armed man with a shielde souldiour like and being victor in bothe conflictes the enuious wretch commanded him without all delay to be bound and clothed in olde patched garments to be carried throughout euery stréete of the citie and shewed vnto the women a villanie of all other moste great as thoughe he had béene a man altogether effeminate and then to haue his throte cutte Finally there was no man of so base a state nor of so abiect and beggerly calling whose commodities he obtrected not in so muche that when at a publique game one Porius a chariot man had made his slaue frée because he had had good lucke in running that day and the people commending well of the maister for so doing had giuen a great shoute Caligula was brought into suche a choler that he incontinently flang vppe and woulde be gone the whiche he did with suche haste that treading vppon his gowne he wente tumbling downe the steppes of the Theatre chasing and crying out that the Lord of nations the people of Rome did for a very light a matter giue more honour vnto a slaue chariot man then vnto consecrated Princes and vnto him selfe being present Furthermore the thinnesse of the haires of his head and his balde crowne bereft him of blisse séeing that he did take it for such a deformitie that to looke out at a windowe aboue him whereby his baldenesse might be espied for in Rome at those dayes men went bare headed or vppon any occasion to name a goate was present death Yet was there a greater breach made in his blisse by the death of his sister and harlot Drusilla for it made him almoste starke madde in so muche that he did let his beard and haire growe long and often vpon a souden and that also in the night time woulde he for no cause fling on galloppe along all the Sea ceast of Italie and ouer into Sicyl where when he had done the like he woulde come backe againe as faste vppon the spurre He proclaimed for her a Iustitium during the whiche time it was deathe for a man to laughe washe or suppe either with parentes wife or children and yet was he also angrie with them that made lamentation for her because as he saide she was of a gillet become a Goddesse and to affirme this lie he gaue vnto two men Deries sestertium that is 7812.l 10 s̄ Who sware that they sawe her ascending vp into heauen Moreouer to put him in minde of his mortalitie he inioyed health neither of bodie nor minde For he was a childe he was troubled with the falling sicknesse after he was growen to mannes state he woulde otentimes be so taken that he could neither go stand nor stay vpon himselfe And that his wittes were not wel he himself perceiued and therfore would euer and anon thinke to separate himselfe from companie and purge his braine But most was he vexed with lacke of sléepe for he neuer could take aboue thrée houres rest in a night neither them quietly but in great feare through diuerse terrible dreames and visions And therefore a great part of the night did he for tediousnesse of watching and lying vse nowe sitting in his bed and then walking vp and down in long galleries euer and anon to call looke for daye Once in his short reigne was he very dangerously sicke in so muche that of a foolishe flatterie Publius Africanus Potitius sware that if that the Gods woulde vouchsafe of their woonted goodnesse to graunt life vnto Caligula the then he would gladly léese his life for him and Secundus a horseman of Rome vpon the same condition vowed to fight at a game of sword players bothe whiche vowes did Caligula when he was recouered make them to fulfil least they shuld be forsworne worthily though ingratefully forcing them to die who would wickedly though feignedly wish his life that
did daily take away life frō so many good men But Suetonius writes that he made the horseman to fight in his sight and would not let him go before he had vanquished no nor then neither but after great intercession but the other madde man who made no great haste to perfourme that whiche he had rashely sworne he caused to be whipped and clothed in a sacrificeng robe and then deliuered him vnto Boyes who still requesting of him as they went the perfourmaunce of his vowe shoulde driue him alonge throughout all the Stréetes vntil that at the length they brake his necke off from a rampire Moreouer this Godlesse man that contemned all GODS and as I haue before alledged out of Dion woulde thunder againste thunder doeth Suetonius affirme would oftentimes be so afraide of a small thunder and lightening that he would winke and blindefolde him selfe but if it were great créepe out of his bedde and hide him vnder it And also he was so feared in Sicyl with the smoke and noise of the hil Aetna that soudenly in the night he fledde out of the citie of Messana And also hearing that Germanie had rebelled he prepared to runne away from Rome and rigged shippes in a readinesse to carrie him thence resting in this one only comfort that he shoulde haue left vnto him the Prouinces beyond the Sea if that the Germanes did take the toppes of the Alpes as in olde time the Cymbri had done or else the citie as had the Seuones He liued onely twentie nine yeares whereof he reigned but thrée yeares and tenne monethes and eight dayes and those in howe great feare and hofulnesse his continual putting of men to death for treason against him and his curious searching for Oracles and prophesies do declare all the which yet could not saue him frō being slaine with his wife and his daughter whose braines were dashed out against the wall His bodie for feare lest that some villanie should be done vnto it was priuily conueied away and being but halfe burnt was couered ouer with a fewe turues so that he that woulde be honoured for a God whilest he liued coulde not be buried like a man when he was dead The xxvi Chapter Of Domitian NEyther were Domitians actes any thing greater as one that had no delight in armes and in whose reigne the Daces reuolted and oppressed Appius Sabinus their Lieftenaunt with his whole armie and anon after also Cornelius Fussus captein of his guard an office in those dayes of all other the greatest and sent thether with a power to reduce them vnto their duetie Then Domitian went against them him selfe or more truly made as though he had gone for as Dion affirmes he neuer during all his reigne gouerned armie or administred warres as he that was a man impatient of all bodily labour for in the citie he woulde neuer goe on foote and in the field sildome ride on horse but alwayes be carried in a lieter and was also of a faint and fearefull heart but he staying by the way out of danger sent his capteines against them who fought with no greater felicitie then had their predecessours and shamefully lost a great parte of their armie and yet this shamelesse God sent lying letters vnto Rome that he had conquered and subdued them wherevppon there were so many and so honourable decrées made for him that almost in all places of the world that were vnder his dominion statuies of gold and siluer were set vp But he might in déede haue truely triumphed of flies of whome he doubtlesse flue innumerable For at the beginning of his reigne he vsed to haue euerie daye a secrete houre to catch flies and to thrust them through with a long péece of yron made for the nonce so that it was as merrily as wittily answered of Vibius Craspus when one desiering to speake with Domitian asked him who was within with the Emperour he answered not so much as a flie for then he had béen as busie as if the whole Senate had bene with him He also deserued a iust triumph ouer wilde beasts of whom he would kil vpon the Theatre an hundreth in a day with his bowe bestowing his arrowes so artificially that they séemed to be hornes growing out of their heads For he was so good an archer that he would oftentimes cause a boy to stand a great distance off hold vp his hand abroad and he would shoote betwéene euery finger and neuer hurt them But séeing that not great conquestes but only riches left vnto him did make him to conceiue so highly of him selfe my thinkes he might well haue ben put in minde of his mortalitie by calling to memorie his youth passed in greate pouertie and infamie as he that had not one péece of plate and did shamefully prostitute his body so that there were at Rome that did often shewe after he came to the Empire his hande and seale for a nights lodging What shall I rehearse his great daunger in the warres against Vitellius Competitor in the Empire with his father when he his vncle Sabinus being ouercome in fight fled into the Capitol but his enimies breaking into the temple setting it on fire he lodged al that night priuily in great feare with the sextene and in the morning being disguised in the apparell of a priest of Isis he passed the riuer among the priests of that vaine superstition vnto the mother of one of his schoole fellowes who hid him selfe so closely that they whiche following his foote diligently searched for him could by no meanes finde him What torments may we thinke tore him when he vnderstoode the adulterie of his deare wife Domitia by whom he had a sonne and had proclamed her Augusta or Empresse with Paris a common player whome she loued as openly as she did feruently Whervpon he did put her away but within short time after being impatient of the diuorce tooke her againe séeking to colour his ignominie in so doing with a feigned tale that the people had desired him to do it I do omit what griefe his bald head brought him who would draw vnto his own reproch if that the like were obiected vnto any other man eyther in earnest or sport and also his often infirmities through whome he became deformously spindle shanked But in what continuall feare he led his life his often murthering of many vnder colour of treason against him whereby he became hatesome to all men makes manifest but much more the ouercasting of the wals of his gallerie wherin he vsed to walke with a shining kynd of marble wherin as in a glasse he might sée who was behind him Yet this strange kinde of hofulnesse could not kéepe him frō being murthered by a conspiracie of his nearest friends liberts and wife although that he had long time before suspected feared the yeare the day yea the houre and the kind of his death when he had reigned fiftéen yeres a long and a rare time for
campe replenished with inestimable riches and finally winninge the two chiefe cities of his realme Tauris and Chois The xliiii Chapter Of the Cherife of Maroccho THE Sophie doth put me in mind although somewhat out of seasoÌ„ of one Mulamethes that began also in our dayes a newe secte of Mahumetanes in Africa and with no lesse fortunate successe then the Sophie had in Persia This Mulamethes being borne of base parentage in the village of Gahen at the foote of mounte Atlas in Africa beganne aboute 1514 to be greate estéemed of the people because he gaue him selfe wholy to religion and the seruice of God which kinde of men they do call Morabuth that is an Hermite He for his singlenesse austeritie of life was singularly honoured and reuerenced of the vnskillfull multitude vnto whome hee preached the simplicitie and puritie of the lawe without receiuinge of anie glose or interpretation but onely the bare Texte And after he had by this meanes gotten him a great number of adherents in Fesse and Maroccho he woulde needes in Gods name go to preache the trueth vnto the king of Caphilet the whiche countrie lyeth nere vnto the desertes of Lybia Where although he were not suffered to preache in anie towne yet by prating in the countrie he had gotten such a traine that they were aboue 60000 fighting men And when at the last the foolishe kinge would needes one day come to heare one of his sermones the Cherife for so they nowe called Mulamethes which worde signifieth the prieste toke him being admonished by God as he saide so to do to the whiche effect he rehersed manie fained dreames and visions and did put the kinge to death and seazed vpon his kingdome and continuing still in this trayterous trade hee within three yeares gotte to him the kingdomes of Tremissen Marroche Dara Taphilet and Suse and aboute twentie fiue yeares after the mightie kingdome of Fesse the which doth vsually by Iouius his reporte bringe thirtie thousande horsemen into the fielde and within the citie of Fesse are fiue and twentie thousande houses But although Mulamethes was Prince of so manie kingdomes yet he reteined still his name of Cherife Thus liued he in iolitie beeing a terrour vnto all the Princes of Afrike and namely vnto Sala-raix Barbarossa his sonne kinge of Algier who being vnable to resiste him with force vsed this policie to dispatche him He sente vnto Marroche where the Cherife made his vsuall abode one of his capteines a Turke a verie valiant man who with two hundreth valiant Tuâ—kes for the most parte al archubussiers should seeke interteynmente of the Cherife alledging for cause of their departure froÌ„ Algier the iniurious misusage of the kinge towardes them and that after that they had by these meanes gotten interteinment they shoulde indeuour to winne euerlasting life accordinge to the promises of their lawe by sleaing of so wicked a tyrante the whiche traine did also fortunately take effecte for the Cherife who was hartely hated at Marroche kept aboute him a greate guarde of men of Taphilet Dara and Suse to whom he also adioyned these Turkes whome his counsell did greately mistrust consideringe the great hatred that the king of Algier bare towards the Cherife and also the carelesnesse for life of the Turks so that they may pleasure their Prince Whereof the Turkes hauinge intelligence were fully determined shortely to set al at sixe and seauen either to winne the horse or loose the saddle Wherefore one daye as they marched against a towne in Suse that had rebelled and the Alarbes were sente forth for forage and none lefte in the campe but two hundreth of the Cherifes guarde and they the Turkes entred the kings Pauilion where then the counsell sate with him aboute these Turkishe matters and slewe bothe the Cherife and his counsell and spoyled the campe wherein the guarde also ioyned with â—â—em This was the vnhappie ende of the Cherife when he had reigned fourtie three yeares But the Turkes that slue him beeing persued by the newe kinge his sonne were all slaine valiauntly fightinge The xlv Chapter Of Barbarossa kinge of Argier VVto the Cherife will I adioyne a nere neighbour of his Hariaden commonly called of his redde bearde Barbiressa who also in our age of a poor pirat became a mightie prince and scourge vnto all the Christians borderinge on the midlande Sea. This mate with his brother Horruccio when they could not abide their beggerie at home in Lesbos or Miteleno they solde al that euer they had to rigg forth a fragate and serued vnder Camalis an archepirate In whose seruice after they had béene enriched by takinge manie prises and had gotten certeine galleyes they becomming iolly capteines departed from their maister and did set vp for themselues going in rouing vpoÌ„ the coast of Afrike where at their first arriuall they were enterteyned by the kinge of Argier who was almoste oppressed with the armies of his brother but the Pirates hauing valiantly thorough their shott the whiche the Africanes had then no vse of discomfited the brother soudenly also turned their force on their friend the king whome they slue Lyornaio the elder brother succeeded in the kingdome where vnto he thorough his prowesse adioyned the kingdome of Circello many other places and forced the Numidians or Alarbes a people that liue altogether by the warres glad to enter in league with him But at the length inuadinge the kinge of Tremissen he was slaine in fight by the aide of the Hispaniardes who cutting off his head did beare it on a pole rounde aboute al Hispaines to the great ioy of the whole countrie Then Haruedene succeeded his brother in the kingdome whose valiaunt demeanour both againste the Africanes by lande and the Christians by Sea aduaunced him to the office of high Admerall vnto the Turke whereby he became matche vnto the Christians on the Sea and farre passed anie Prince of Afrike for power by lande then wanne he the mightiest kingdome of all Afrike Tunes where he had not nesteled one yeare but that Charles the Emperour thinking it smally for his securitie to suffer his infestious foe to growe so great vnder his nose passed thither with a power where he wan by assaulte the stronge castell of Goletta whereby he gote the hauen and all the whole nauie of Barbarossa then discomfited he him in battell wanne the citie of Tunes with the whole kingdome and finally forced Barbarossa fearefully to flie vnto Bona where hee had doubtlesse beene either taken or slaine if that either Doria the Emperours admerall had gonne thither him selfe with the strength of the fleete or his vnskilfull kinsman Adamo whome he sente to do the exploite with sixtéene galeies ill appointed had not trifled foorth the time not comminge to Bona before that Barbarossa had weighed vp sixtéene galeies the whiche he had sounke in the hauen and hauinge rigged them had launched out of the harborough or els he had beene forced to haue fledde vnto
fall that neither their brotherly bloud nor impotent age could persuade the bofull man securitie But anon after that he had wonne Constantinople the stately seate of the Easte Empire and slaine the Emperour therein before Belgrade which he boasted that hee woulde take within fiftéene dayes whereas as his father had like a cowarde in vayne béesieged it seuen monethes bee was by a sallie out of the towne daungerously hurte vnder the pappe his armie discomfited his campe taken with all his ordinaunce martiall furniture and carriages and hee him selfe gladde to séeke safetie by the benefite of a darke night yea so great was his ouerthrowe that it was thought by men of wisedome and experience that if the Hungarians had prosecuted the victorie they might haue driuen him out of Constantinople The next morning when he was come vnto himselfe after the rage of his wound was somewhat abated and vnderstoode howe great a foile he had taken he would haue poisoned himselfe that he mighte not returne home in so great dishonour and was hardly letten by his friends from doing thereof Hee could neuer abide after to heare or speake of this foule foile as often as he vnwillingly minded it he would teare his beard fetch déepe sighes gastly grind his téeth cruelly cursing that dismall day the which he did all his life after accompt for a blacke and infortunate But after this tempestuous storme the which had néere destroyed him a wished winde gan blowe againe and he conquered the Empire of Trapezonda the Isles of the Aegean sea or Archipelago Miteleno and Bosna the Peloponesus or Morea the whiche the Venetians and two of the Paleologi possessed brake downe the strong wall that the Venetians had builte in the Isthme of Corinthe and gott those townes which the Venetians had in Morea and by bloudie assault Eubea now Nigrepont Hauing thus fortunately subdued Constantinople and all Greece with the Islands thereabouts it was a great eye sore for him to sée the royall Rhodes frée from his bondage wherefore frowning fortune pricked him forth to assaile it with many a foule bloudie foile receiued both by sea land thus when force failed hee sought to take it by treason suborning many false knaues who vnder colour of fugitiues should betray it vnto him but when that neither this foxes skinne ioyned to his Lions was long enough to reach the Rhodes hee feigned great friendship if that they would vouchsafe to pay him any trifle in the name of tribute yea or present him with any gift but when that nothing would be graunted vnto the enimie of Christe and hee had vainely spent thrée yeares in these toyes he fell againe to force inuading it with a mightie fléete and fourescore thousand men but with no better successe then that after hée had lost 7000. souldiours at the landing and two thrée thousand at euery assault of whome hée made very many during his aboade there of thrée monethes hée was forced to depart home with incredible losse of men and munition and much greater of his honour But when his hautie heart could not rest in this great dishonour but prepared for the reuenge thereof and also to conquere proud Italie as hée termed it where his mightie armie being landed had taken Otronto his purpose was preuented in the one and the prosperous course of his conquestes corrupted in the other through his sondeine death when he had liued 58. yeares and reigned 31. The xlvij Chapter Of Selime the first great Lord of the Turkes SELIME that came vnto the Empire of the Turkes by murthering of his father brothers brothers children ouerthrew in battell the mightie Sophie in the middest of his realme and toke his chiefe cities of Chois Tauris subdued the Aladuli that inhabite the mountaine Taurus conquered the Empire of Aegypt that stretched on one side vnto the desartes of Arabia the streightes of the redd sea and to Aethiope and on the other vnto Cilicia staying two Soldanes yet this man who was of rare felicitie in all his attemptes was ouerthrowen and hurt in the battel that he sought against his father and also made such an hautie retire out of the Persian dominions that it might very well be termed a fearefull flight loosing a great number of his men his ordinance and his carriages in the passing ouer of Euphrates the Persians hotly pursuing them And when hée had escaped the Sophie hée was no lesse endammaged and endaungered by the Aladuli And finally this furie of hell that threatened vtter destruction to the Christian name reigned not aboue seuen yeares but died miserably of an eating Vlcer in his reynes which consumed so much fleshe in one night that a man might turne his fist round in the hole yéelding vpp his wicked spirite at the village of Chiurle where hée had vngraciously before foughten against his father The xlviij Chapter Of Ferdinande the sixt king of Hispaine FERDINANDE the sixte king of Arragon and Sicyl that had by his wife the rich kingdomes of Castill and Lions and won by sword the kingdoms of Granata that had béene in the handes of the Moores almost eight hundreth yeares of Naples and Nauarre and an other world of rich countries in the West Indies had a great and yet an harmelesse admonition of mans tickle state at the siege of Granata For a Moore burning in desire of deliuering his countrie out of perill by a desperate attempt of killing the king and Quéene of Hispaine came out of the towne into the Hispanish campe feigning that he had brought cōditions of peace and desiring to be admitted vnto the kinges and Quéenes presence but hee was put by his purpose thoroughe a meruailous chaunce or rather by Gods special prouision for a noble man of Hispaine that lay in a goodly and riche hall sent for this Moore to come vnto him being very desirous to vnderstand what newes the Moore brought The noble man sate at that instant at dinner with his wife whome the Moore taking by their brauerie to be the king and the Quéene assaulted them sore wounding them both but yet was stayed from killing them by the rescue of their seruants But afterward whē that this victorious king returned from the glorious conquest of the kingdome of Graneta and rode into Darselona in triumphant maner with the great acclamations of the people ringing his renowne hee had in the middest of that proud pompe almost loste both life and kingdome For one Canemas a Cathelane who séemed to haue béene long time molested with the madde melancholie thincking to haue killed the king in his chiefest iolitie gaue him a great wound in the neck Neither could any other cause of doing this desperate facte be wrounge from him by all kinde of terrible tormentes then that he hoped if that Ferdinando had béene slaine to become king himself being a very poore knaue the which thing he said had béene told him oftentimes by an Angel. On so féeble fléeting a